


Gardener For Hire

by gaydemonium



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Lawyer Magnus, M/M, Malec, Malec AU, Malec Fluff, inspired by the plant king himself, landscaper alec, moon flower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 22:05:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10626057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaydemonium/pseuds/gaydemonium
Summary: Magnus needs a landscaper to help with his lawn. Alec isn't who he expects.[Based on everything Matt said during his livechat]





	

**Author's Note:**

> Malec au that was inspired by Matt's recent love chat where he mentioned being all sweaty and shirtless while doing lawn work. It made my imagination go wild.
> 
> Song used is Poor In Love by Destroyer

"Need special lawn care services? In search of a landscaper? A professional can help you! Call 555-2749 to hire today!"

Magnus circled the advertisement with a red pen. Ever since he moved to Brooklyn, his backyard was looking rather unruly. Weeds crawling up the side of his home. Vines that were supposed to give his building "character" but instead it looked like it was being devoured by nature. Grass that was being to grow too long for comfort. Being allergic to grass, Magnus couldn't even go out into his yard in sandals without breaking out in hives during the summer.

Thank god for advertisements. It was lawn mowing season and just the thought of all the pollen and grass blowing around made his nose itchy. He didn't have to worry about grass back in LA. The city was all pavement. It was perfect.

Picking up the phone, he dialled the number in the paper. It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Finally, a deep voice picked up. "Hello?"

"Uh, hi. I'm calling about the special lawn care services ad in the paper?" Magnus looked down at the circled information to make he dialled the right number.

A pause. "Really? I mean, I'm glad you called and everything but nobody ever calls for this kind of stuff anymore. Rarely, anyway," the man on the other end cleared his throat. "Right. I'm Alec, by the way. Owner of Lightwood Lawns. The grass is always greener on both sides, as our slogan indicates. What can I do for you?"

Magnus almost lost his train of thought as Alec's lovely voice put him in a trance. "Uh, yes. You can-" He cringed as he heard Alec chuckle at his dumb response. "You see....I'm allergic to grass. Pollen. The works. I can't touch any of that stuff without it threatening to kill me. Which is why I called you."

Alec clicked his tongue. "Interesting. I've never met anyone who was allergic to grass before. Your childhood must've been shitty."

"For the most part," Magnus agreed. "So you'll help me out?"

Another pause. "Absolutely. I charge $30 an hour for my services. An additional $30 is added on for extra services."

Magnus glanced down at the ad. There was no mention of extra services anywhere. "Extra services?"

"I'm also a handyman," there was a smile in Alec's voice as he spoke. "If you need a lightbulb changed or need your pipes fixed, I'm your guy. Jack of all trades."

Magnus didn't need his pipes fixed. Or a lightbulb changed. "Uh huh. Any other charges I should be made aware of?"

"None. Just need to know when you want me to start."

The grass outside seemed to grow longer longer the more Magnus spoke to Alec. "Are you busy right now? The sooner you get it done, the better."

Alec laughed. "Sure. Just give me your address and I'll be over as quick as I can."

After giving Alec his address and hanging up, Magnus googled Lightwood Lawns. Not much was given on their website, just that the company was family owned by 3 generations of Lightwood's and it now made and sold lawn mowers.

There was no picture of Alec, which disappointed Magnus somewhat. He naturally assumed that Alec was good looking, judging by his low voice over the phone. But Alec could've been an older gentleman. Anything was possible over the phone.

A half hour later, there was a knock on the door. Magnus answered it, and was genuinely surprised with what was standing on his doorstep.

"Hi," said the blacked haired man. "You called about lawn care earlier?"

Magnus failed to form a coherent sentence as he stared at Alec in awe. Alec was handsome. Alec was hot. Alec was everything he ever dreamed of in a hot, cliche gardener straight out of the Italian romance novels. With a shock of black hair that was sticking up every which way, his hazel eyes glanced around the lawn with a watchful eye. Not only was he really tall (a few inches taller than Magnus) he had broad shoulders and strong looking arms and hands, which were in his jeans pockets as he waited patiently for Magnus to stop staring like a complete idiot.

"Yeah. That's me. I'm Magnus. Forgot to tell you my name over the phone," Magnus rolled his eyes. "Come on in. I just made some coffee. Care for a cup?"

Alec shook his head. "Not for me. I try to avoid heavy drinks like that before going out to do some work. But thank you anyway." Alec looked up around the home and whistled. "Nice place. You from around here?"

Magnus poured up a cup of coffee for himself. "No. I was born in Indonesia. Parents moved to LA when I was a child. Just moved to Brooklyn a few weeks ago. Really beautiful place."

Alec nodded his head. "Yeah. It is. Not much greenery, though. You might find a weed here and there but it's mostly pavement. But I see you have quite the garden out back."

Magnus looked in the direction Alec was pointing. "Oh. That old thing. Thankfully, I don't have to do much watering. Not with the amount of rain this place gets. The old woman I bought this place off of had a real green thumb. She said I could do whatever with them but I couldn't find it in my heart to get rid of all her hard work and dedication."

"How noble," Alec smirked. "I can go have a look out there later. See if there's anything that needs some extra care?"

"That would be nice," Magnus nodded. "Thank you. And I'm sorry I can't be of much help to you-"

"Don't worry about it. The whole point of calling for services is that you let someone else do the work for you." Alec took out his phone and flipped it open. "Got lots of sunlight left to burn. I'll get started right away."

Magnus watched as Alec went back out to his truck to grab his supplies, carrying things like gloves and a pick axe and several other landscaping objects out back. Since he had moved in, Magnus hadn't really gotten around to having a look around at the garden in the backyard. Not that he showed much interest. The whole garden made him sneeze.

"Knock if you need anything," he told Alec when the gardener began to move large bricks out of the way.

"Will do. I won't be a bother. You won't even know I'm here," Alec said with a smile.

But Magnus did know he was there. It was impossible not to. The silence that he had gotten used to the past few weeks was now replaced with loud thuds from Alec's pickaxe hitting stone and brick. Curious, he peered out the window to see what the landscaper was doing.

Alec was now picking up the broken pieces of stone and brick, tossing it into a red wheelbarrow. His face was red from exertion, but he didn't stop for a breath once. Once the wheelbarrow was filled, he wheeled out to the front yard where there was a machine set up beside his truck. He tossed the broken pieces inside and it was ground down into dust. It was very impressive.

Magnus couldn't look away as Alec continued to work. His movements were so fluid and full of confidence. There was power in every step and in every swing he took, and Magnus found this oddly attractive.

"Knock knock," a voice said. Magnus jumped in surprise as Alec smiled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. I just came in to let you know that I'm finished up for the day. Can't work in the dark."

"Oh," Magnus looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set and the moon was out. "True. How much do I owe you?"

Alec stopped him from taking out his wallet, their hands touching momentarily. His hands were callused and covered in scars. "Don't pay me yet. Not until my contract is up. I still have a lot of work to do back there."

Magnus put his wallet away. "Exactly how big is that garden back there, anyway?"

Alec looked at him oddly. "Have you ever been back there since you moved in?"

"No. The thought never occurred to me. Nothing back there interests me anyway."

With a huff, Alec rolled his neck and shoulders. "You'd be surprised what's back there. I didn't really take a close look at the plants, but from what I could tell, the lady who lived here before you enjoyed growing rare flowers and herbs."

There were herbs back there? This was news to Magnus. "Herbs? What kind?"

"Not the marijuana kind, that's for sure." Alec laughed as he wheeled the now empty wheelbarrow into the back of his red truck. "When I come back tomorrow, I'll show them to you. Pick a few and bring them inside. They're worth taking a look at."

"Okay," Magnus nodded. "Sounds good. Should I make coffee for one again too? Or should I make enough for two?"

Alec had already climbed into his truck as Magnus spoke. The door slammed shut, and he looked down at Magnus with a small smile. "Make that two. Just in case."  
__________

There was something completely different about the house the next day, especially the garden in the backyard. Because he knew that Alec was coming back in an hour, the house seemed more alive and vibrant. Even the coffee tasted better than it usually did.

Alec got to the house around 10 that morning, immediately setting up in both the front and backyard. He didn't say a word to Magnus, but he did wave to him from his truck, his fingers flapping as he waved.

Magnus decided to go outside to greet him. "Morning. Need any help?"

Alec looked up from the lawn mower that he was unloading. "Morning! Beautiful day, isn't it? It's supposed to get hot later. Or at least that's what the weather forecast said."

"Nice," Magnus replied, the small talk making him feel very awkward. "Need any help with that?"

"No, I'm good. Your grass is getting really long so I'm going to mow it today and have that done. Then after that I'll get right back to cleaning up the backyard." Alec carefully placed the lawn mower on the ground. Magnus couldn't help but notice the way Alec's biceps bulged under the sleeves of his t-shirt. "I might need your help later though with bringing some bricks around back. The ones I crushed yesterday were old and getting soft. They needed to be replaced."

"Absolutely. Whatever you need," Magnus smiled. He watched from the porch as Alec started the mower and began to cut the grass. Almost immediately, his nose began to itch, so he went back inside to begin some paperwork for clients.

An hour passed. An hour passed and Magnus was so caught up in his paperwork that he completely forgot that Alec was just around back, crushing more old bricks with a sledgehammer. He could hear the loud thuds even through the closed patio doors, so he decided to get up and take a look out the window.

Alec stood by the broken brick wall, one hand resting on the handle on the sledgehammer while the other rest on his hip. He was looking around the yard. After a moment of looking at the overgrown grass by the fence, he moved to pick up the whipper snipper but paused to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Magnus wasn't mentally or emotionally prepared for what was about to happen next.

Alec wiped the sweat from his forehead with the hem of his shirt before reaching back to grab the collar of his sweaty, dirt stained t-shirt and pulled it over his head.

The glass of lemonade that Magnus was holding slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. His jaw probably fell to the floor too, but he was far too stunned to even notice that his mouth was gaping open as he stared at Alec in awe. He should move from the window in case he gets caught staring but his body was completely immobile.

It was like watching something out a rom-com where the gardener was ridiculously hot and took off his shirt as soon as it got warm outside....except Magnus wasn't in a rom-com and it actually happened. The only thing that was missing was Alec doing it in slow motion and then spraying himself with the hose so that he was drenched.

Magnus almost took a picture with his phone. This was a sight he'd probably never see again and he wanted to capture the moment as it was happening right before his eyes. Alec was, ever since Magnus first laid eyes on him yesterday, was a work of art. High cheekbones, bright hazel eyes and hair as black as midnight. But he wasn't prepared to witness what was underneath.

Alec...was something else. Magnus didn't believe much in love at first sight but this definitely came close to it. From where he stood in the patio doorway, he could see that Alec was quite built, but with lean muscle. His shoulders and upper arms were broad, his biceps bulging when he lifted heavy objects. When he walked, his pectoral muscles kind of bounced, and his chest had hair as dark as the hair on his head. He had a beautiful lean stomach, showcasing his nicely shaped abdominal muscles and his hips narrowed into his jeans, which hung low on his hips, revealing the V of his hipbones. He wasn't extremely muscular but it was enough to mesmerize Magnus and make his jaw drop to the floor.

"He must be thirsty," Magnus murmured to himself. "Maybe I should bring out a glass of fresh lemonade to him? That would be the hospitable thing to do."

As he poured a glass of lemonade he had made that morning, he also made a sandwich in case Alec was hungry. Taking a deep breath, he made his way outside. Alec was just finishing up with the grass when he straightened up and noticed Magnus standing there, holding a tray of sandwiches and lemonade.

"Oh. Thank you. I was just about to come in and ask if I could have a glass of water but this is even better!" Alec took a sandwich and a glass. "Peanut butter and jelly, huh? With lemonade?"

Magnus tried to keep his gaze from slipping down onto Alec's body. "I like the taste of sweets mixed with something sour. Give lunch a bit of a kick."

Alec took a sip of his drink. "Mm. It's delicious. I can't believe I was just going to ask for a glass of water."

They both chuckled and looked around the yard. Admittedly, Magnus thought it was a mess. But he trusted Alec to make it look nice once he was done with it.

"So what are you doing here?" asked Magnus. "With the bricks and stuff."

"Well," Alec sighed. "Like I said earlier. The bricks were old and getting soft. Weather worn. I'm replacing those with fresh, newer ones. After that I'm redoing the greenhouse-"

"Wait. The greenhouse? What greenhouse?"

Alec laughed. "The greenhouse. The one that's been here for at least 40 years or so? It's right over there."

Magnus looked in the direction Alec was pointing. Sure enough, there stood a large greenhouse that seemed to radiate its own heat instead of reflecting heat from the sun. "Oh. Didn't even know that was there, to tell you the truth."

"You've lived for weeks and you didn't even know that you had a greenhouse back here?" Alec shook his head but there was a smirk on his face. "I'm not surprised. Here. Let me show you what's inside."

"You went in already?" Magnus followed behind Alec as they made their way over to the greenhouse.

"Yeah. I was curious. Plus it wasn't locked so I just took a look around. Lots of interesting plants growing in there," Alec said as he opened the door. "You're not going to have a reaction, are you?"

"I already did. I reacted to this whole greenhouse idea being here." Magnus chuckled as Alec rolled his eyes.

It was hot-very hot-inside the greenhouse. It was a sickly heat but it probably felt amazing for the plants growing inside. There were pitted greenery lined on every wall and parts of the ceiling. Not only did it smell incredible but it was very colorful; flowers of every color imaginable were bloomed open. Green, blue, shades of red. Every color that Magnus could think of. They were all stunning.

"Wow," he breathed. "It's incredible in here!"

"It looks incredible but wait until I name of some of the plants here for you," Alec's voice went up an octave as he grew excited. "See this flower here? This is a Beach Vitex. Vitex rotundifolia. Or also known as the roundleaf chastetree. It's found in a number of places around the world. Eastern India, Hawaii, South Korea and even in Australia. It has a sprawling growth habit and produces runners that root regularly at nodes so it requires extra care because it spreads so rapidly. It's rare to see one in Brooklyn."

Magnus hid a smile as Alec ran a gentle finger over the plant's leaves a stems. "You seem to know a lot about plants."

Alec blushed. "It's a hobby of mine. I wanted to be a botanist growing up. Still do, actually. But my family needed help with the business so I took the reins."

To keep from falling into an awkward silence, Magnus pointed to another plant. "How come they haven't wilted yet? I didn't water them at all."

Alec pointed to the ceiling. "There's a homemade irrigation system installed in the ceiling itself. There's holes. You can kind of see them if you look hard enough but what the holes allow is for rainwater to come through and land in the greenery here. You'll notice that the shelves housing them aren't wooden or solid. They look like the strainers you put noodles in. See?"

Magnus leaned in and sure enough, he saw that the shelves were a lot like strainers. "Huh. That's actually kind of clever. I can't believe I missed this back here."

"I can't believe it either," Alec laughed. "You have a literal jungle in here. So much rarity and beauty but no one to really appreciate it."

I appreciate it Magnus wanted to say, but he wasn't referring to the plants. He was staring right at Alec's back as the landscaper moved about the greenhouse, talking away about the different properties of plants, but Magnus wasn't quite listening. He was watching a bead of sweat roll down Alec's long expanse of back, wanting to touch it with a finger so badly but he had to restrain himself.

"And that's all the plants from what I can see. It's beautiful in here, Magnus. I hope you plan on taking care of everything in here when I'm gone," Alec picked up a pot and moved it into a sunnier area.

"You're leaving?" Magnus blurted, cringing immediately.

But Alec didn't seem to notice. He just smiled broadly. "I can't stay forever. I'm just here to do some garden work."

Oh. Right. "I knew that. I was just testing you. I can't beleaf you fell for that."

Alec tilted his head back and laughed. Magnus loved how his eyes crinkled around the edges. "Did you just give me a plant pun? Seriously?"

"Was it too much?"

"No it was hilarious, actually. I love puns," Alec led them out and shut the door behind them. "I wanted to ask you something, if it's not too much trouble."

Magnus felt his heart skip a beat. "Sure. What is it?"

Alec wiped his hands in his jeans before speaking. "If it isn't too much trouble....could you make some more sandwiches? They were delicious."

The previously skipping of the heart stopped as Magnus now felt it sink to the ground in defeat. "Sure thing. I'll make some more lemonade for us too. Freshly squeezed."

Alec beamed. "Awesome. Thank you so much. You're one of the more nicer clients I've had over the past few years. Most of them don't even ask if I'm thirsty or if I need any help. They just watch me die from heatstroke from the safety of their air-conditioned home."

"That's not right. They don't offer you anything at all?"

"Not in my experience. Not until now, that is."

Magnus caught Alec looking him over and quickly looking away when he realized Magnus was onto him. "If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I'll help in any way I can."

Alec offered a small smile. "Thanks, Magnus. That means a lot to me."

"Anytime," Magnus said as he pat Alec on the shoulder. The taller man was sweaty but he didn't care. "Now. Let's get down to business. What kind of sandwich would you like?"  
__________

Turns out, Alec stuck around for much longer than Magnus had anticipated, not that he minded. Over the course of three weeks, Alec had discovered numerous healthy hazards around the house and set out to fix them immediately much to Magnus' protest.

"If I don't fix them, it's going to haunt me forever if something were to happen to you," Alec retorted. "So please. Let me fix it for you."

That's what he did. He fixed things for Magnus. He fixed the fence in the backyard. He fixed up the irrigation system in the greenhouse so that it produced more water without taking in too much. He all but fixed the hole in Magnus' heart that was caused from watching him go about doing what he did best and not acknowledging Magnus' obvious glances of affection. He was oblivious to them all.

"I dropped out of college when I was 19 to help my dad with the family business. My little sister didn't want anything to do with it. Max was too young-oh and Jace helped for a while but then he ran off with his buddies to backpack in Europe," Alec shoved a cookie into his mouth with a dramatic eye roll. "Our dad still hasn't forgiven him."

"Backpacking in Europe? A 17 year old? How did he get away with that?" Magnus poured them up more water. It was another hot summer day and Alec was taking a lunch break from work. He was planting some trees in the yard.

"He didn't. Dad gave him the biggest ass whooping ever when he came home a few months later," Alec seemed to find this funny as he grinned and chuckled. "I'm not the type to say I told you so but I told him that everyday until he finally applied to university in California. Engineering."

"That's a huge step up from backpacking in Europe," said Magnus, "all things considered. I guess he realized that he needed to grow up and make something of himself."

Alec shrugged and shook his head. "I envy him. He and Izzy were always the defiant ones. Always questioning our parents and sticking up for themselves. I always just rolled over and submitted to whatever my mom and dad wanted me to do. Hence why I'm doing this," he thumbed towards the backyard.

"You don't like landscaping?" Magnus took another cookie from the box. "I mean if you don't like it, you can always quit. Do something you love. I'm sure your dad will understand."

"I do like landscaping. It feels relaxing, just smashing up bricks and stones. Plus I like working with my hands too. But botany is my true calling. I know it is," Alec ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "My mom thinks it's stupid. 'Studying plants isn't a job' she always tells me. But I don't want a job. I want a career."

His heart swelling with admiration, Magnus reached over and placed a hand on Alec's shoulder. "Tell her that. What you just said to me. If she doesn't agree then that's not up to her. It's your life. You do what you think is good for you. No one else."

For a moment, Magnus truly thought that Alec was going to return the gesture but instead the hazel eyed man got to his feet and picked up the saplings that rest beside the table. "Thanks, Magnus. I know we haven't known each other long but that means a lot coming from you."

He went right back to work without even a second glance at Magnus. Defeated, the most Magnus could do was clear up the dishes on the table and bring them inside. When he dumped them into the sink, he gripped the edges of the counter and breathed a heavy sigh through his nose to steady himself.

"Magnus?" Alec's voice appeared behind him. "Are you okay?"

Magnus didn't turn around as he spoke. "Yeah. I'm sure. Just a little dizzy from the heat." He heard Alec shuffle around behind him but didn't turn around to see what he was doing. "Did you need anything else?"

"Uh...yeah. I do." Alec cleared his throat. "I was wondering...if you're available this Friday, would you like to go out with me?"

Magnus whipped around in surprise, eyes bulging in surprise. "You mean like a date?"

"If you want to call it that. I think you're a nice person and we don't really get to talk other than when I'm here doing lawn work. It'd be nice to talk in a casual environment," Alec said, "and we can do whatever. Go out to eat. See a movie. Go for a walk. I'm not stingy."

Magnus cocked his head to the side. "All this time...you liked me but didn't say anything?"

This made Alec flush. His somewhat tanned skin suddenly turned red as he looked down at his feet in embarrassment. "Yes? I mean I had to be sure that you liked me back. Or if you were even interested in men. My sister was the one who told me you dated both men and women which gave me a confidence boost."

Magnus laughed. "Well then. Thank god for your sister. I've being flirting with you for weeks and you didn't even give me the time of day. I thought for sure you were straight. Or at the most, didn't like me that way."

"But I do!" Alec made his way over to where Magnus was standing and looked him in the eye. "I honestly do. I was just scared to say anything. I don't exactly know how to express myself sometimes. And when I do, I usually screw it up."

There was a brief moment of silence as both men went quiet, unsure of what to say next. Magnus found it oddly adorable that Alec was squeezing his hands nervously and scoffing his feet along the floor. He didn't care that Alec still had his dirty shoes on. It was just mud. He could clean it up later.

"Does 7 sound good?" He finally asked to break the silence.

Alec looked up. "Seven?"

".....for Friday? Did you forget already?" Magnus laughed just as Alec turned even more red than he already was. "Relax. I'm just pulling your leg. How does seven at The Jade Wolf sound?"

Alec smiled. "That sounds perfect."  
__________

Friday was finally here. Magnus had been ready for hours and his excitement and nervous levels were about even with each other. Purely because he wanted to impress Alec with his incredible sense of fashion, he wore one of his best outfits; a silk shirt under a dress coat, with tight fitting jeans and his favorite pair of shoes that had a pointed toe. He even wore a few necklaces and painted his nails to make the outfit pop. For added impact, he even put a little eyeliner around his eyes to make them stand out a bit more. He looked really good, if he said so himself.

Alec arrive 6:55 in his big red pickup. When Magnus answered the door, the sweet smell of cologne wafted into the porch. Not only did Alec smell good but he looked even better. Dressed in a green sweater beneath a leather jacket, both showcased his broad shoulders and strong arms. He wore tight jeans and a pair of leather boots. His hair was messy, like he had just rolled out of bed.

"Hi," Alec breathed. He stuck out a bouquet of flowers in his hand. "I got you these."

Magnus took them and inhaled their aroma. "Thank you. These are really sweet."

Alec shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah, they're pretty sweet. I found them on the side of the road. Thought of you."

"You...found them on the side of the road? You got me road flowers?"

"No," Alec began to sputter. "I bought them at a flower shop on the side of the road-" He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "That's what I meant to say. Didn't come out the way I wanted it to..."

"Why'd you lie?"

"I didn't!"

Magnus was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Relax! I'm kidding! They're beautiful. I'm going to put them in a vase before we go." He poured water into a glass case and placed the bouquet inside it, inhaling a final time. "There. All set?"

Alec nodded. "Whenever you are."  
__________

"...and that's how I got into law school."

Alec and Magnus both laughed. The Jade Wolf, much to their surprise, wasn't as crowded as they thought it would be. Normally on Fridays everyone is out with their families to dinner and every restaurant imaginable was packed full of people, which made it impossible to get a table. But tonight there were only half a dozen people at the restaurant.

The setting felt romantic; there were candles lit, there was a nice smelling incense burning and the food was incredible. Magnus ordered the special that had all of his favorites: chicken balls, moo shu pork, rice, won tons, and sweet and sour sauce to top it all off. It smelled amazing but tasted even better.

"I'm so glad you came here with me tonight," Alec whispered in a low voice. "But I have to admit something....and it's kind of embarrassing."

Magnus wiped his own mouth with a napkin. "Go ahead. I won't judge."

Alec took a deep breath. "I've never been on a date before."

"Never?" asked Magnus.

"Never," Alec shook his head. "My parents aren't exactly okay with my sexuality. My siblings are but its my mom who's the worst. My dad is fine with it even though he doesn't fully accept it."

Magnus took a bite of moo shu. "But you're out though, right?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah. Out but not proud."

The quiet conversations of the other guests in the restaurant could be heard as both Magnus and Alec fell into a deep silence. They finished their dinner and Magnus took out his wallet to pay the bill. Alec stopped him.

"I got this. You've been paying me for three weeks now. Let me get this as a way of saying thanks," Alec smiled. "This one's on me. You can return the favor if you want by giving me a bonus when I'm finished with the yard work."

Magnus guffawed. "I'll think about it. I still have to inspect your work. Make sure it meets my standards."

Alec merely smirked and nudged Magnus playfully with an elbow.

After leaving The Jade Wolf, they made their way back to Magnus' for drinks. It was dark, the lights from the other vehicles on the road and the lights from the skyscrapers looking like a ground level solar system filled with stars. Magnus only wished he could see the stars in the city. That was the only thing he didn't like living in a big city; simple pleasures such as looking up at the stars were taken away from those who enjoyed the little things in life.

"Let's go out into the greenhouse. There's something I want to show you," Alec said once they both had a drink poured up. "I think you'll really like it."

"The greenhouse? There's nothing blooming during this time of day." Following close behind, Magnus made his way out to the backyard behind Alec, wondering what on earth Alec wanted to show him in the greenhouse.

"You sure about that?" Alec looked over his shoulder. There was a smirk on his face. In the faint light coming from the greenhouse, Magnus thought Alec looked ridiculously sexy. His movements were confident and that smirk-Magnus wanted to kiss that smirk right off his face. But that smirk was playful, almost teasing, as he continued to walk towards the entrance to the greenhouse.

"Okay. Now I'm curious. Are you saying that there's a plant that blooms only at night? How is that even possible?" Magnus unlocked the door with his key.

"You'll see. It's not midnight yet so we'll have to wait a bit," Alec raised a hand, ushering to Magnus to go inside. "After you."

The greenhouse was a lot darker than Magnus had thought it would be. He wasn't exactly scared of the dark but being in here so late at night made him a little nervous. He shivered from the cold.

"Are you cold?" Alec asked.

"A little bit I'm not too bad. So are you going to tell me what it is we're waiting for?"

Alec shook his head. Instead of speaking, he slipped off his leather jacket and draped it over Magnus' shoulders. "Here. Wear this. It keeps body heat in really well."

Magnus unconsciously held the jacket closer to him, inhaling Alec's cologne. "Thanks. That reminds me...I meant to tell you earlier that I had fun tonight. First time in a long time."

Alec glanced at him. "Me too. Even if it was my first date."

They chuckled and looked away from each other. In the pale light, Magnus could see goosebumps rising on Alec's skin. Although he didn't complain of the cold, Magnus took the jacket from his shoulders and gave it back to Alec.

"Here. Wear this. It keeps body heat really well," he whispered, draping the jacket over Alec's broad shoulders.

"Touché," Alec smiled. "Oh. It's midnight. Watch closely."

A few of the potted plants around them were still and motionless, but only for a moment. The bud closest to Magnus trembled as if it were shivering or vibrating before swelling and bursting open. Magnus watched in awe as it bloomed; intricate blue petals that glowed almost white in the darkness, blooming upward and revealing petals dusted with a darker blue pollen that contrasted with the glowing leaves.

"Wow...." Magnus breathed, and looked up at the other plants blooming open around them. "How did you know that they would do this?"

Alec gently touched a petal. "Their stem glow in the dark. When I was cleaning up one evening last week I noticed that the stem gave off its own light. I broke out my old botany books and looked up what kind of flower it was."

"And what kind of flower is it?"

Alec's face glowed underneath one of the flowers that bloomed just above his head. "It's general name is Moon Flower. I can't remember it's botanical name. I think it's Ipomoea. Their petals close when the sunlight touches them. But it's really rare."

When Alec looked at Magnus, his eyes were a brighter hazel than they were before. The glow gave him a sort of halo above his head, making him look like an angel, and everything that was beautiful about him before was amplified by a hundred.

"Did you really bring me in here to talk about plants? Or did you have something else in mind?" Magnus managed to whisper, as if by talking loudly he'd scare the plants away.

Alec looked at Magnus in a way he hadn't done once since they met weeks ago. He almost burned a hole in Magnus with his eyes, his gaze was that intense. His mouth twitched slight, trying not to smile, but failed miserably as he took a step forward towards Magnus with a broad smile on his lips.

"Actually....I wanted to do this," he whispered back.

Then he kissed Magnus.

It was gentle but passionate, his mouth soft and warm against Magnus' lips as they moved with purpose. Too shocked to move at first, Magnus finally worked up the courage to kiss him back. A drop of warm water trickled down from the petals above him and ran down the back of his neck, causing him to shiver. Alec laughed at this, holding Magnus by the collar of his shirt and pulling him forward even more like e couldn't get enough of him.

Magnus unconsciously reached up and held Alec's far with his hands, fingers getting tangled up in his raven black hair. He was so overwhelmed but it was the best feeling in the world. He kissed Alec even harder, wanting to breathe in the scent of cologne and sweat and plants for the rest of his life. Just one more kiss and it could all be his.

When they finally pulled apart, Alec's hair was dusted with glowing pollen from the Moon Flowers. He had a bright smile his face.

"What's so funny?" Magnus asked.

"You didn't have a reaction to the pollen," Alec pointed out. "We're you just exaggerating when you said you were allergic? Or was it something else?"

Magnus snorted. "Well it definitely didn't have anything to do with you being shirtless in my backyard and I can't help but stare."

They both chuckled and gazed at each other for a moment. The silence was oddly soothing, the sound of the leaves in the greenhouse rustling in the gentle breeze. The tapping of the raindrops as it began to rain overhead sounded like little fingers against the glass.

"Should we go back inside? It's starting to rain," Alec said.

Magnus looked up at the sky. "No. Let's stay outside for a while. A little rain has never hurt anyone."

Alec smiled at this. "Sure. I'd like that a lot."

They sat down at a small work table together, listening to the rain and watching as more Moon Flowers bloomed open under the night sky. Everything felt perfect, or as perfect as this night could get, and Magnus felt right at home beside Alec. His heart felt full and he was glad that he circled that ad in the paper weeks ago. They both wouldn't be here if he hadn't. Needless to say....

The Moon Flowers weren't the only thing that bloomed that night.


End file.
